The present invention relates generally to safety ski bindings, and more particularly to a heel unit for a safety ski binding which permits automatic release of the ski boot upon application of a predetermined minimal separation force and also has automatic step-in capabilities permitting locking of the ski boot sole without manual intervention.
In known ski bindings of this kind, such as the one described in French Pat. No. 1,572,250, an elastic locking means is provided laterally between a sole catch and the side branches of a stirrup. The locking means comprises tumblers pivoted on the sole catch on horizontal axes, a part of the tumblers being subjected to a spring, while another part cooperates with the side branches of the stirrup. Such known ski binding is relatively complex, which does not enable it to be as small as desirable. Furthermore, such a binding must be reclosed manually around the sole of the boot.
The ski binding, according to the invention, avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. Though having a structure simpler than that of the prior art, it affords the same safety on release in case the skier falls and, furthermore, enables the skier to put on his binding automatically, without manual intervention, by simply stepping into the binding mechanism.